Kanye said it best: “Everything they told me not to, was everything I would.”
One mishap or one mistake can have endless and awful consequences. Yet, as human beings, we all succumb to some form of temptation. These lapses in our journeys help to define us and contribute to our own personal discoveries as though the transgressions are somehow essential.
Part of what makes temptation so irresistible is its self-sufficing element. Temptation is different for each individual person, based on his or her own particular interests, which means that what tempts me may be completely different than that of which another individual may be compelled.
For example, a serial dater may be tempted by the idea of finding love, and therefore may never fully realize that continuously bouncing from relationships is counterproductive.
Similarly, a person who is so driven to succeed may be so enthralled with the idea that he or she aimlessly imagines it happening, rather than implementing a plan of action.
I find it rather peculiar that each temptation comes in its own shape and form; some have even labeled this as the plight of an evil force (possibly even the devil). Sometimes, however, we manifest our own temptations by yearning for alternate lives, which may not even be conducive to our existence.
Still, we continue to indulge and seek out that which dulls our senses, granting us temporary immunity from whatever current situation lingers.
What is even more perplexing is the ability that we, as human beings, possess to observe and analyze. In terms of where that lies in the realm of temptation, we have the ability to recognize what tempts us.
Therefore, we know exactly what that temptation can potentially yield and in contrast, what makes a conscious decision to defy that analysis to indulge in whatever allure. Why is this?
Sorrow
Perhaps it is sorrow that drives us to oblige temptation. That sorrow can engulf us and when a person does not know how to handle it properly, it can lead to a quest for an outlet.
Everyone intrinsically feels sorrow, whether you have lost a loved one are concerned with self-inadequacy or even with the general plight of mankind.
Thus, humans are always seeking pleasure. Therein lies the intoxicating mental telepathy your brain exhibits in pursuit of finding this pleasure.
Escape
Aside from the inherent ability of man to seek pleasure, we all fall victim to our temptations because they help us to escape. We all have vices that we use to fill a void of some sort. What I am specifically referring to here is life: pain, despair, shame, isolation. All of these humanize us.
However, one must inquire as to whether or not this is at all a righteous cause for sinning. We indulge in these enticements because we want our problems to be solved; yet, how many times has giving in yielded a resolution?
More likely, what results is a vicious cycle and a continual longing to escape, longer and higher than before.
Fear
By now, we've all heard that fear is paralyzing, but what does that actually mean? In my opinion, fear spurs from the element of time; time that man has invented in his own head to measure his life. People put timelines on their accomplishments: when they choose to fall in love, when they choose to reproduce, etc.
As a result of this fabricated timeline, fear creeps in to remind us that we may never achieve these quests. Thus, we turn to various remedies in fear of not having enough, not achieving enough and not being enough.
Today, however, I challenge you to let go of that fear. Feel the sorrow of your situation, understand it and don't try to change it. The moment you seek to change it, you've already defeated yourself. Instead, look at the root of the fear and sorrow and let go of the imaginary timeline.
Drop the deadweight and believe you're worthy — worthy of living, not just existing. Don’t escape into a world of your own temptations and turmoil, but press forward with such a consistent ethic that fear itself dissipates.
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